So Little Time
by Apparuerit Diabolo et Loqui
Summary: Holly Potter (Fem!Harry) has been framed and Minister Fudge seems happy to see her given the kiss in a transparent sham trial. After a question asked by her father though, Hermione makes a difficult decision. Fem!Harry, Not a Azkaban!Harry story.
1. Guilty!

**Sorry I haven't updated my other stories.**

**I just had this idea (like ****_The Order of the Citadel_****) in the shower and needed to put pen to paper.**

**I thought maybe I should write something short so I can have some finished work to my name. This story won't be much longer than 50k all up I think.**

* * *

**So Little Time  
**

**Chapter One**

**Guilty!**

The Wizengamot shuffled to their designated seats as the visitor's gallery filled up.

Holly Potter could see Hermione, Neville and a few others from the DA seated at one end of the visitor's gallery from her chain covered seat in the middle of the courtroom. She could see they were tense and waiting for something, giving each other sideways glances and occasionally whispering things to each other.

Albus Dumbledore was seated at the other end of the gallery surrounded by several Order members. It was quite apparent that he hadn't gotten his position of Chief Warlock back after renouncing Holly and Voldemort's return.

Looking closer Holly could see Tonks seated at the back of the Order group looking as tense as the 'DA Group' did. She was also making occasional glances at them.

Something was clearly up but Holly wasn't sure what they were able to do. It was clear and without doubt what the verdict would be; this sham of a trial had made sure that the verdict would be guilty – quite possibly on every single capital count. Holly at this stage was undecided what was the better sentence; the Kiss or life in Hotel Azkaban. One was long and drawn out, the other was possibly drawn out seeing as no one seemed to know what happened to a person's soul once it was eaten by a Dementor.

Focussing on the judges stand it looked like Fudge was about to start.

For two months it had been the same for every weekday. On Monday she would be removed from her dank cell in Azkaban loaded onto a dingy barge and then taken to the courtroom before being placed in the chair where the magical chains would bind her tightly. She would then be forced to sit in the chair unmoving all day until the court finished at about five in the afternoon – she had quickly discovered the chair thankfully cleaned up after her when she was forced to relieve herself in the middle of the court. They would then move her into the Ministry holding cells because it was too much of a pain in the ass to run back and forth between the Ministry and Azkaban every day. In the morning she would be returned to court and the cycle repeated itself before she was moved back to Azkaban on Friday afternoon for the weekend.

This had been going on for about two months by her reckoning.

"Everyone ready?" asked Fudge as he looked around the courtroom.

Seated on Fudge's left was Senior Undersecretary to the Ministry Dolores Jane Umbridge and too his right was Pius Thicknesse – Madam Bones' replacement after she was removed from the court because she was _apparently _too close to the defendant due to some convoluted reason linked to her pro-Potter niece Susan Bones. _Coincidentally_ only a few weeks into the trial Madam Bones had been horribly maimed in an attack against her home and was now unconscious in St Mungo's.

When nobody spoke up Minister Fudge began the final few hours of the trial.

"Weasley?" asked Fudge to the smaller stand off to the side where Percy Weasley who was acting as the Court Scribe was seated.

"Yes, sir," replied Percy as he poised his quill over the parchment stacked in front of him.

"Aurors, secure the doors!" called out Fudge as a pair of aurors stationed at the large iron double doors to the courtroom pulled out their wands and used their magic to push them closed with a loud thunderous bang. "We may begin."

Fudge cleared his threat before continuing.

"The Ministry verses Miss Holly Lily Potter on multiple serious offenses on August twenty-eighth of 1996 committed between September first, 1992 and June nineteenth of this year," announced Fudge as Percy began to scribble. "We have heard from both the defence and prosecution and the court is now ready to give verdict."

If Holly hadn't been silenced when she was removed from her cell this morning she would have loudly scoffed; not once had she been allowed to present any evidence let alone speak before the court except for a small snippet at the very start of the trial. She wasn't even given a lawyer for Merlin's sake. Meanwhile the prosecution was led by a mixture of Fudge and _Octavius Avery_, a lawyer – or at least the magical equivalent – who appeared to be best buddies with Lucius Malfoy. The man made her think of what Tom Riddle might have looked and been like if he had chosen to become a lawyer instead of a Dark Lord.

Holly was certain that in most civilised countries the judge couldn't be part of the defence or prosecution. On the other hand magical Britain hadn't demonstrated any civility in her mind.

"Is there anything the prosecution or the defence would like to add?" said Fudge as he glanced between Holly with a small gleam in his eye and Octavius Avery.

Holly couldn't give Fudge a verbal response and wouldn't dignify him with a nod or a shake of her head so she just sat there glaring at him. Meanwhile Octavius shook his head.

"Very well," continued Fudge. "On with the verdict."

Fudge cleared his throat again before speaking.

"On the premeditated murder of the _muggle_ Vernon Dursley and use of the unforgivable Killing Curse against the aforementioned muggle please raise your hand if you believe that Miss Potter is guilty."

The way Minister Fudge said '_muggle'_ clearly showed he really didn't have too much sympathy for the fat man's death.

As the court raised their hands Holly could that an absolute majority of Lucius Malfoy's block had gone for guilty while a majority of the other blocks including the block previously lead by Albus Dumbledore also went for guilty.

"Let it be known on record that the court finds Miss Potter guilty," said Fudge as Percy made note. "On the premeditated murder of the muggle Petunia Dursley and use of the unforgivable Killing Curse against the aforementioned muggle please raise your hand if you believe that Miss Potter is guilty."

Like before a large majority raised their hands before Fudge quickly called 'guilty' and moved on.

"On the premeditated murder of the muggle Dudley Dursley and use of the unforgivable Killing Curse against the aforementioned muggle please raise your hand if you believe that Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty._

"On the unknown multiple uses of the unforgivable the Cruciatus Curse on the muggles Vernon Dursley, Petunia Dursley and Dudley Dursley please raise your hand if you believe that Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty._

o0o0o0o

"So you are saying that the defendant, Miss Potter, used the unforgivable Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix Lestrange in the Ministry Atrium on the night of June eighteenth of this year?" asked Octavius Avery as Ron was in the witness stand.

"Yea, that's what she said to me the next morning," replied Ron. "I was pretty concerned that a so-called light witch could use such an evil curse."

As the Wizengamot and visitor's gallery broke into whisperings Avery looked away from Ron and up to Fudge in the judge's seat.

"May I move forward to have another count of use of an unforgivable added to the charges?" asked Avery.

Fudge paused as he considered it.

"Unfortunately the law does not consider Azkaban escapees people," replied Fudge with a hint of sadness.

The law he had introduced in 1993 that would enable him to have Sirius Black kissed on sight was still on the books. It basically reduced anyone who escaped from prison to having for all intents and purposes no rights; including the right to be deemed legally a human being.

"Regardless, this Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot clearly shows that Miss Potter is capable of using such a vile curse," continued Avery as if he hadn't stopped to have another charge added. "If she is capable of using the Cruciatus Curse as shown here then she is clearly capable of using the other two unforgivables!"

o0o0o0o

"On the murder of Cedric Diggory and the use of the unforgivable Killing Curse of the aforementioned wizard please raise your hand if you believe that Miss Potter is guilty," continued Fudge.

Nearly everyone raised their hands and the verdict was once again _guilty_ despite no evidence being presented throughout the trial regarding Cedric.

"On the use of her _dark ability_ Parseltongue to control a Class Five beast known as a Basilisk to commit four single counts of grievous magical assault against Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater please raise your hand if you believe that Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty._

"On one count of use of the unforgivable Imperius Curse on one Ginevra Weasley please raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty._

"On one count of child kidnapping against one Ginevra Weasley please raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

As the court found her _guilty_ Holly remembered back to that part in the trial. They hadn't let Colin, Justin, Hermione or Ginny enter the witness box claiming that their _fanaticism _towards her indicated that they were magically impaired by some sort of dark magic and that their testimony wouldn't be reliable. Penelope Clearwater however was allowed in the witness box but nothing she said implicated Holly as being responsible to Fudge's great disappointment.

Instead they had brought Draco Malfoy of all people in for a character assassination.

o0o0o0o

"Mr Malfoy, could you please describe to the court the events surrounding the supposed opening of the Chamber of Secrets in the ninety-two/ninety-three school year?" asked Octavius Avery as Malfoy smirked in the witness box.

"Well it all started on Halloween while Potter was conspicuously missing," started Malfoy with barely contained glee. "We were leaving the Great Hall when we found Potter standing in front of Filch's petrified cat. Apparently Potter had had a run in with Filch only a few days beforehand and Potter wanted revenge. Then there was that little – uh – muggleborn that Potter though was annoying who strangely enough was found petrified just outside the Hospital Wing while Potter was staying there –"

"That was Colin Creevy? The young muggleborn that is?" prompted Avery.

"Yea, it was, sir," replied Malfoy.

"Go on."

"Well not long after Justin Finch-Fletchley had a run in with Potter saying she was Slytherins Heir," Malfoy scoffed. "Only a few days later he and the Gryffindor's ghost are found petrified."

"And what of Hermione Granger?" asked Avery. "Wasn't she too petrified?"

"Yea, she was," replied Malfoy.

"People have informed me that Miss Potter and Miss Granger are friends, why would Miss Potter attack a _supposed_ friend?"

"I'm pretty sure, sir, that Potter is only friends with Granger to do her homework for her," replied Malfoy confidently. "It no secret that Granger is one of the smarter ones in our year, I heard that Potter knew people were keeping a close eye on her so she attacked Granger – her supposed friend – to avert suspicion off of her."

"Yes, that would certainly make sense," replied Avery as he nodded and the Wizengamot broke out in whispers. "What about Ginevra Weasley?"

"After the teachers announced the Chamber was sealed for good there were rumours floating around that the Weasley girl had opened the Chamber and that Potter had saved her," continued Malfoy. "Given that Potter was happy to attack a _friend_ just to save herself it's not farfetched to think that Potter set Weasley up as a patsy to take the fall."

"Yes, that's certainly not farfetched," agreed Avery. "What about the events at the first night of the duelling club organised by Gilderoy Lockheart?"

"Oh – yea, Professor Snape pair Potter and I up for a duel in front of the school," said Malfoy with glee. "Given the suspicious circumstances around each attack I thought it was pretty obvious that Potter was involved so I thought it would be a good idea to prove Potter was a Parseltounge in front of the whole school so there would be no denying it. I didn't think Potter would be careless enough to actually speak to a snake in front of the whole school but she did anyway and everyone at that point _knew_ it was her responsible."

…

"So your saying Miss Potter disappeared down the tunnel leaving you and Mr Lockheart behind only to return with you sister half an hour later?" asked Avery. "You never saw any evidence that Miss Weasley was being controlled by Miss Potters so called '_dark artefact'_?"

It looked like Ron was reaching a dawning realisation.

"She had a small black book claiming it was controlling Ginny," replied Ron in a strange deep thought. "She said she had destroyed it and it had a small hole burnt through it."

"So other than her claims that the book was a powerful dark artefact you saw no evidence of any kind?"

"No I did not, sir," replied Ron.

"What happened to the book?" pressed Avery.

"She said she gave it to Professor Dumbledore," replied Ron.

Finished his questioning, Ron was dismissed from the witness box. As he went to the visitor's gallery he called out.

"You're a traitorous bitch, Potter! You did that to my sister and to ever think I ever made the mistake to call you a friend!"

Fudge didn't make any attempt to control Ronald Weasley.

…

"_Mr_ Dumbledore," started Avery with no small amount of glee. "Can you tell me about the small black book that Miss Potter supposedly gave you after returning from the Chamber of Secrets?"

Dumbledore didn't want Tom to know he had very carefully examined his former Horcrux, and he knew his tenure at Hogwarts would be very short lived if he publicly supported the Potter girl so he had to lie.

"I never received such a book," he replied.

o0o0o0o

"On one count of knowingly aiding and abetting the fugitive Sirius Black raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty," continued the Minister.

The count once again was nearly unanimously _guilty._

"On one count of hindering a Ministry executioner, one Walden MacNair, tasked with the legal destruction of a dangerous animal raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty," said Fudge who despite having read almost the same line over a dozen times now still seemed very cheerful in carrying out his duty.

Holly internally laughed at the proclamation of _guilty_ despite how dire the situation was; compared to all the other charges they had piled on her that was _very_ minor.

"On ten single counts of aiding and abetting Antonin Dolohov, Bellatrix Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, Lawrence Mulciber, Augustus Rookwood, John Travers, Cyrus Selwyn, Frank Gibbon and Alistair Rosier in their escape from Azkaban Prison please raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty_.

"On four single counts of use of the unforgivable Imperius Curse on the following upstanding members of our society; Lucius Malfoy, Walden MacNair, Timothy Nott and Patrick Crabbe to commit premeditated murder," said Fudge, stressing that his loyal backer was _not_ a Deatheater.

Holly still couldn't believe that Malfoy Senior had managed to get off on being a Deatheater _again_, even after being found at the scene of the crime in full Deatheater regalia.

o0o0o0o

"Can you describe to me the events of the night of the eighteenth and morning of the nineteenth of June of this year, Mr Malfoy?" asked Avery.

Holly had seen the aristocratic pair chatting out the corner of her eye before Fudge had opened the trial.

"Well to adequately describe it I would have to go back to the fourteenth rather than the eighteenth," said Mr Malfoy silkily.

"Very well," replied Avery with a small smile. "Please describe the events from June fourteenth to the nineteenth."

"It was a Sunday and I had arranged with several good friends of mine to visit the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmead for lunch and a drink –"

"Could you please tell the court who these friends were?"

"Why, they were my good friends Walden MacNair, Timothy Nott and Patrick Crabbe," replied Mr Malfoy smoothly.

"MacNair, Nott and Crabbe who were like yourself were Imperiused and forced to attack several young children in the Department of Mysteries alongside several notorious Deatheaters?"

"Yes, that is them," confirmed Mr Malfoy.

"Please continue."

"After we had finished we walked to the apparition point at the edge of town when suddenly I was overcome by an all-consuming feeling of bliss which I immediately recognised as the effects of the Imperius Curse. I then felt the caster command me to go about my day as if nothing had changed and follow the commands dictated in any letter bearing a certain symbol," said Mr Malfoy.

"Really? What symbol was this?" prompted Avery.

"A lightning bolt," replied Malfoy dryly.

"And you believe this was Miss Potter's symbol?"

"I do, I may not have seen her but the voice that gave me orders sounded very much like hers," he replied.

"How do you think Miss Potter got out of school to Imperiuse you?" asked Avery.

"The girl is known to be in Hogsmead when she is not supposed too. She was for example seen by my son in Hogsmead when she was banned from the village for her own safety during her third year. It of course was to protect her from Sirius Black yet she defied those orders for her own amusement," explained Mr Malfoy. "I believe she does this through the invisibility cloak she possesses. It was also a Sunday enabling her to slip away unnoticed for a few hours."

When MacNair, Crabbe and Nott too the stand they told almost identical stories ending in them being put under the Imperius Curse and forced to fight alongside Deatheaters in the Department of Mysteries.

o0o0o0o

"On one count of criminal trespass into the Department of Mysteries, an area defined under the _Ministry Secrets Act of 1751_ as restricted, please raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty._

"On eighty-seven single counts of criminal vandalism against Ministry property raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

As the call of _guilty_ was once again given Holly realised she feeling incredibly serene despite the fact she was probably about to be taken to her death at the hands of a dementor.

"On five single counts of conspiracy to murder Ronald Weasley, Ginevra Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom please raise your hands if you believe that Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty._

Octavius Avery had used a surprising amount of logic to get that charge. It basically went along the lines of if she had arranged for Lucius and the gang to be there then if she brought unsuspecting 'victims' along then she must want them dead.

"On four single counts of sedition raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

_Guilty._

"On one count of attempting to overthrow the rightful government of the British Isles please your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

Holly once again silently scoffed as a call of _guilty_ was made. The way Fudge said that seemed to imply they felt that the magical government was the rightful government of both magicals and muggles in the entire British Isles. Holly momentarily wondered how the separation of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland worked in regards to magical law.

"On one count of high treason please raise your hand if you believe Miss Potter is guilty."

With the final charge once again an overwhelming majority voted in favour of a guilty verdict.

"Scribe, please make note for the record that Miss Holly Lily Potter was found guilty of all charges," said Minister Fudge official as Madam Umbridge smiled sweetly at her.

Holly swore as she saw the foul woman's lips move. She was certain the Toad had said '_I must not tell lies'_.

Fudge took a drink of water before clearing his throat again and continuing.

"Miss Potter you have been found guilty of all charges," he said as she rolled her eyes at how clear that was from him repeatedly saying 'guilty'. "Having committed multiple counts of the unforgivable Killing Curse and Cruciatus Curse the automatic sentence for Miss Potter is life in Azkaban Prison. However, given the seriousness and number of offences I now ask that if you believe – as do I - that the severity and _depravity_ of the offenses warrant the administration of the Dementor's Kiss. Please raise your hands if you believe that like I do it does."

Maybe slightly less than the number who had found her guilty raised their hands at this. Regardless it was still a significant majority.

"Scribe, please make a note for the record that at this time, on the twenty-eighth of August 1996 that the Wizengamot voted that Miss Holly Lily Potter be sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss for her crimes and that as custom it shall be conducted at the following dawn."

Whisperings broke out in the crowds as some in the visitor's stands shouted obscenities. She could see Ron who was sitting as part of the Order group next to his parents get to his feet and began to shout at her but he was drowned out by the many others trying to do the same thing before he could get a word in.

Holly had expected Hermione to tear up at the sentence but instead she and Neville stood firm and looked on with grim determination; she was certain something was about to happen. Hermione and many other of the DA crowd seemed to be fingering something under their robes; each was looking towards Neville and Hermione, waiting for the moment.

Glancing at the Order group she could see that many were pale and Tonks – like Neville and Hermione – looked firm with grim determination. Dumbledore though sat impassively. She had had a long time to think it over and now she was certain his current expression had something to do with the Prophecy he had told her the night Sirius had died.

Giving him a scowl she turned back towards the Minister and the Toadie.

"I will now ask for four volunteers from the Wizengamot to officially witness the administration of the Kiss," said Fudge.

Naturally – besides Fudge himself – Umbridge and Malfoy volunteered along with a face Holly didn't recognise from Dumbledore's old block.

"Aurors! Bring in the dementors and have the girl escorted to Azkaban," ordered Fudge.

Holly waited in anticipation, expecting that whatever Neville and Hermione had planned would happen now before the Dementors came in and while the doors to Courtroom 10 were open. However, though she could not see them from her seat, she could feel the cold presence of the dementors approach as her mother's final moment began to replay in her head.

Despite her earlier serenity she was rapidly losing her cool and started to struggle with the chains, fearing that she had everything wrong, and that Neville and Hermione weren't coming to save her. Holly gave a scream as she felt the cold dead bony hands of the dementors grab her upper arms and the chains around her slacken before she blacked out.

o0o0o0o

Hermione tensed as the Wizengamot ruled in favour of sentencing her best friend to death through the most barbaric method she could think of outside of maybe stoning, being hung drawn and quartered, and crucifixion.

She had been mentally preparing herself for this moment since she had formulated this idea two months pervious. Yet now there was no faint glimmer of hope that maybe the wizarding world would start to believe Holly that Voldemort was back, that maybe Fudge might trip going down the stairs one morning and this farce of a trial would end or that maybe some other insane thing would put a halt to this.

No, now they had ruled there was no going back, she was committed to what the group had decided and that she had suggested. What she was doing she would have to live with forever, the decisions they all maybe they would have to live with. What they were about to do would no doubt be considered murder, assault, _treason, _and – as Fudge had put it earlier – conspiracy to overthrow the so call _'rightful'_ government of the British Isles.

She and many others would have blood on their hands by dusk but hopefully none of it would be the blood of innocents. Rather, they hoped to save innocents lives – beyond her best Friend Holly Potter. They would be saving hundreds and possibly thousands of innocent lives; both magical and muggle in the future.

Knowing they were proceeding as planned Hermione fished the successor to the DA coin out of her pocket. Like the DA coin it was a _Protean_ charmed object. Unlike the DA coin thought it was used to share a number of what muggles would call _Boolean_ variables. The small flat square stone had six letters on it; 'g', 'h', 'r', 'A', 'B' and 'C'.

Taking a finger she pressed it to 'g' and tried to imagine forcing magic into the letter. When she removed the finger she found it was glowing so she moved onto 'A' and repeated the process causing it to glow. Now, Ginny and Victor who were on the other end would know that mission 'A' was a go and that they should move into position.

It was primitive in comparison to muggle two-way radios but it was still better than what the Aurors and DMLE used which is to say a simple panic medallion saying they needed help.

As the dementors entered the room she tried to suppress her rage and hate. When Holly started to panic it almost broke her heart; she knew Holly understood something was happening but not seeing anything because she blacked out would have been horribly frightening. She knew at the end her friend would forgive her but it was still gut-wrenching.

Eventually the dementors removed the unconscious Holly from the chair and carried her to the doors and left flanked by a dozen aurors before the doors to the courtroom slammed shut with another thunderous bang.

She hoped desperately that the other group would be successful and that everyone would make it out alive as she readied to give the order.

"While the condemned is being transported I must ask that you all remain in here," said Fudge happily. "It will only take a few moments."

It would hopefully be the last public speech that Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge would ever make thought Hermione as she turned to Neville seated next to her and nodded.

"Go," she whispered as they sprang into action.

* * *

**There you go.**

**Any guesses what happens next? I'm curious how predictable it is.**

**Please Favourite, Follow and Review. My next update should wither be ****_The Venerable House of Le-Fay_**** or ****_The Order of the Citadel._**


	2. Cover-ups and Framing

**Chapter two!**

**I suspect I should just give up trying to predict which story will be updated next.**

**I am however rewriting sections of ****_The Venerable House of Le-Fay_**** though. I will explain my reasoning when I update it.**

* * *

**So Little Time**

**Chapter Two**

**Cover-ups and Framing**

Holly made her way down to breakfast the morning after their battle in the Department of Mysteries. The explanation Dumbledore had given the previous morning was still fresh on her mind and trashing the twinkly-eyed wizard's officer hadn't soothed her anger at everything.

There were some upsides though; yesterday the Daily Prophet announced the return of Voldemort along with a photograph of Voldemort's and Dumbledore's battle in the Ministry Atrium. Umbridge had also left the school; after being rescued by Dumbledore from the centaurs she had fled Hogwarts.

In a daze she sat at the Gryffindor table and piled her plate up with breakfast, longingly looking up towards the ceiling for one of Sirius's letters. On cue owls began to flood into the Great Hall and Holly noticed a single owl bearing the Daily Prophet hanging around in confusion.

"Hermione's newspaper?" she asked the owl.

Not getting a response – after all few owls are as intelligent and communicable as Hedwig – she fished a silver sickle out of her pocket and paid the owl for the newspaper knowing Hermione would like to read it when she visited her injured friends in the Hospital wing after breakfast.

Unrolling the newspaper and dropping it on the table in front of her Holly scooped another clump of egg onto her spoon and raised it to her mouth before reading the headline on the Daily Prophet and stopping in shock and rage mid bite.

_You-Know-Who Fraud!_

_By Chief Editor Barnabas Cuffe_

_Yesterday we at the Daily Prophet wrongly reported the return of You-Know-Who – known to have died on Halloween of 1981._

_An investigation conducted by the Ministry of Magic last night has revealed that man though to be You-Know-Who fighting former Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot Albus Dumbledore is false and that the witch or wizard fighting Mr Dumbledore was an imposter under some sort of magical concealment._

_"As every witch and wizard in this country knows, it is impossible for magic to return someone from the dead," said Senior Undersecretary Madam Umbridge last night during an official Ministry press conference. "Therefore it is impossible for the person seen in the Ministry [on the morning of the 18__th__ of June] to be You-Know-Who. Furthermore a Ministry investigation has found evidence of concealment magic having been used during the imposter's fight with Mr Dumbledore."_

_The Prophets magical specialists have suggested several possible options for faking the return of You-Know-Who including Polyjuice Potion – a potion that allows one to temporarily adopt the physical features of another for a short period of time, and specialised glamour charms like those commonly used in cosmetics._

_Furthermore the Ministry found evidence of the Imperious Curse on several of the supposed Deatheaters found in the Ministry after the battle strongly suggested that they were unwillingly forced to fight._

_"Clearly an undesirable is attempting to besmirch the good name of several prominent members of our noble community," continued Madam Umbridge…._

Holly couldn't read any more as anger swelled up inside her. It was so bloody obvious what had happened but the Ministry instead kept their heads in the sand defiantly _and_ it looked like scum like Lucius Malfoy and his ilk had gotten off again.

Unable to continue eating due to her anger Holly roughly rolled the newspaper up and stormed out the hall as news of Voldemort's 'not-return' spread.

o0o0o0o

Hermione gasped when an angry Holly dropped her newspaper in her lap before dropping herself in a huff on the end of Hermione's bed without a word.

"What? How could they… this is completely insane…" muttered Hermione after a few seconds.

"What's it say?" asked Ginny who had been playing exploding snap with Luna, Ron and Neville around Ron's bed.

"Yea, what's got you in a huff, Hermione?" asked Ron distractedly as he tried to place another card down without it exploding.

"The Ministry is saying everything was false – that it wasn't really Voldemort in the Ministry Atrium and that the Deatheaters captured were actually under the Imperius Curse," she replied weakly. "This is utterly insane."

Holly didn't comment and just glared at the wall as she tried to keep herself under control. Ron, Neville, Ginny and even the usually calm Luna all looked shocked at the Ministry's ineptitude.

"I don't think people will buy it," said Neville a few minutes later having read Hermione's paper once she finished. "Some people will, but most people will see this as a thin cover-up."

"Yea, this is quite unbelievable. Even for most wizards…" added Ginny.

"With your story in Daddy's paper earlier this year I don't think this will last long," said Luna.

Holly snorted.

"Not if they start painting me as a Dark Lady faking the return of Voldemort to begin my rise to power," said Holly cynically. "A galleon says a paper in the next week suggests it."

Holly sudeenly dropped her head into her hands as she realised something.

"Oh Merlin," she exclaimed. "If they got wind of me trying to Cruciate Bellatrix they crucify me in the press."

"What!" exclaimed Ron in shock.

"I can't blame you," said Neville firmly as Ron's comment went unnoticed. "I would have done the same if given the chance – It would have been music to my ears to hear that bitch scream for what she did."

"Yea, your only regret should be that it was the Cruciatus Curse and not the Killing Curse," added Ginny darkly as Luna and Neville nodded.

"It's not nice it's come to this," said Hermione sadly. "But you're right; with the way things are the Deatheaters will walk free unless they physically can't."

The four of them nodded sadly as Ron looked on – unnoticed – in fear and shock at what they had said and agreed too. Knowing what he must do, Ron told himself the moment he could walk out of the Hospital Wing he would see the Headmaster.

o0o0o0o

Holly had been right; it took three days before the first hints of 'Dark Lady Potter' were seen in the Prophet. By the time they boarded the train to Hogwarts it was in full swing and she feared she would be arrested at Kings Cross on some stupid trumped up charges yet not once had Dumbledore or an Order member approached her to inform her what was going to happen.

In fact, Dumbledore was conspicuously absent from the Prophet with no mentions that he might be involved in a power play for the Ministry – everything was being lumped on her.

She spent the train ride to Kings cross saying little; brooding and thinking instead of socialising and talking with Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville – Holly having little thought for Ron's absence with everything that was on her mind. With reassurances from her friends and some of the DA, and looks of suspicion from everyone else she pushed her trolley loaded with her trunk through the barrier into Kings Cross proper.

"Listen here, Girl," growled Uncle Vernon. "Every day you will be doing every chore I assign you and as soon as you can leave my home you will – I don't want you loitering about any longer than you have to be."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," she replied tiredly as she pushed her trunk towards Uncle Vernon's company car.

Aunt Petunia and Dudley were waiting in the car for them. Aunt Petunia sniffed disdainfully at her as she sat down and did up her seatbelt while Dudley ignored her and read his magazine about amateur boxing.

The drive home proceeded as usual. Uncle Vernon would complain loudly about abnormal things, Aunt Petunia would agree at just the right moments and Dudley with his rather lacking intelligence wouldn't bother to listen. Holly on the other hand just didn't have any interest listening to them rant as usual.

Getting out of the car under her uncle's glare she went to the boot to pull her trunk out and noticed a faint shimmer in the air near Aunt Petunia's agapanthus before she turned to open the boot. It didn't click immediately that the Order only used an invisibility cloak to watch her and not a _disillusionment charm _like she had just witnessed but when it did click she tried to turn and pull out her wand before there was a flash of red light and her world went black.

o0o0o0o

_"Crucio."_

Holly woke to Aunt Petunia's screams and a daze. There were probably half a dozen people dressed in black robes in the living room of Number four besides herself and the Dursleys.

She was sure it was Snape who was standing over her aunt _Cruciating_ the horse faced woman as she wept on the floor of her pristine living room. There were two people with white blond hair who she eventually realised were both Malfoy Senior and Malfoy Junior. The others she vaguely recalled from Voldemort's rebirth or the Department of Mysteries though she couldn't link the faces properly.

The blur was worse than just missing her glasses; like someone had cast something on her that made everything confusing and difficult. Despite that though she could feel the very air and every Deatheater present stiffen as the door to the living room was pushed open and in walked the pale skeletal figure of Voldemort. Petunia knew who he was and begged for her life as the Deatheaters jeered.

She still wasn't sure what happened as Voldemort addressed Draco before handing the boy a wand. The world got even cloudier as there were more screams followed by an all silencing green flash of the Killing Curse.

There were screams again as Dudley was dragged out in front of the audience before like his mother he was put down by a sixteen year-old Draco Malfoy. He turned to her and smirked nastily as he finished; she realised time felt so fast but slowed down as Draco did so. She had never noticed. Time seemed to run out though as Uncle Vernon was killed without fanfare before the procession of Deatheaters lead by Voldemort walked out of the house and into the street dragging her along.

Next she knew she was in the middle of Privet Drive as the nosy neighbours descended. Everything felt like a dream as nothing seemed to connect and make sense. She realised she had her wand again in her hand as she lifted it up into the light. It was hers, she was certain.

The confusing world was broken by the pop of apparition.

"Deatheaters," she whispered to herself as she remembered and raised her wand before for the second time that day she saw a flash of red light and blacked out.

o0o0o0o

The Order was around the large heavy kitchen table in the basement of Number Twelve; they had just been called for an emergency meeting by Dumbledore. A few of their number including the Headmaster was missing so as they waited this chatted amongst their selves as Mrs Weasley busied herself in the cooking area making the group some snacks.

Fred and George had only last month been allowed to join the order as full members as they were no longer in school. They sat at the edge of the room still unsure as to their place in the Order. They were joined by a glum Tonks whose hair was her natural mousy brown colour.

While the 'incident' at the Ministry had resulted in _Senior_ Aurors Kingsley and Vance being demoted to Junior Aurors, Tonks as a Junior Auror had been simply sacked – destroying her life goal of becoming an Auror. Several others including the Headmaster had gotten off lightly because they were 'mislead' by Holly Potter, but as Aurors Kingsley, Vance and Tonks were expected to know better. Moody as a retired Auror couldn't be sacked and the others had simply gone along with Dumbledore and said they were misled by Holly Potter.

The door to the basement kitchen creaked open and in strolled Dumbledore followed by a sneering Snape and subdued Kingsley.

"I have grave news," said Dumbledore as he sat at the head of the table. "Less than an hour ago Holly Potter was arrested at Privet Drive, she is thought to have killed her family the Dursleys in cold blood."

Nearly everyone in the room who hadn't previously been privy to the information gasped.

"Severus has confirmed that there was no Deatheater involvement in the incident," he continued.

He didn't think that mattered anyway as the protections he had placed around Number Four, Privet Drive were completely flawless as long as the girl stayed there for approximately a month each year – there was no way Tom or his Deatheaters could enter the property.

"Kingsley?" prompted Dumbledore.

"Uh – though I don't have access to as much information as I did previously," he said glancing at the morose Tonks. "I have been informed that Potter's wand was tested and showed extensive use of the Killing and Cruciatus Curses. The Minister is arranging a trial for her as we speak."

The group fell silent to ponder this before one of the Weasley twins broke the silence.

"This… is completely ridiculous," they said causing everyone to turn to them.

"I'm afraid it's not, Messrs Weasley," said Dumbledore gravely after several seconds. "I received some intelligence not long after the incident in the Department of Mysteries suggesting that Holly might be going dark."

"Oh really? What was this intelligence?" asked one twin.

"Where did it come from?" asked the other.

Dumbledore again paused for several seconds.

"Your brother, Ronald, passed me the information," he replied. "He overheard Miss Potter admitting to Mr Longbottom, Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood and Miss Weasley that she used the Cruciatus Curse of Bellatrix Lestrange."

Dumbledore let the words hang for several seconds before turning to the still Mrs Weasley standing by the stove.

"I'm sorry to inform you Molly but it seems that Holly Potter has had a corrupting influence on your daughter and her friends; she voiced her agreement along with Miss Lovegood, Miss Granger and Mr Longbottom that what Holly had done was right and that quote 'your only regret should be not using the Killing Curse on Mrs Lestrange instead.'"

Mrs Weasley gasped again as the metal ladle in her hands clattered to the floor and she raised her hands to cover he mouth in shock. Several people had looks of disgust on their faces while others were wondering if they should voice their opinion that Ginny was probably right – that nutty bitch needed to die. Fred and George beat them too it.

"Sounds bloody right to me," said one as the other nodded in agreement.

"A dead Deatheater is a Deatheater who never kills again," added the other.

Dumbledore frowned at them.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, my boys," he said. "But if you can't have a mature outlook on the matter maybe you're not ready for the responsibility of being a member of the Order."

Fred and George gaped at the old man.

"So we should just let Deatheaters like Malfoy walk free _again?_" asked one.

"Deatheaters who again had been found at the scene of a crime dressed in a _full Deatheater outfit_ fighting alongside _convicted_ Deatheaters like Lestrange?" added the other.

"We are not judge, jury and executioner, my boys," replied Dumbledore. "We do not have the right to condemn people to death who could still be redeemed. Again, if you can't be mature about this I must ask you to leave and not come back until you have matured."

The Twins continued to gape at the old man before in unison pulling out their phoenix medallions and leaving them on the table. With one last glance at the Order they strolled out the door.

"What the Hell did we actually see in those nutters again, Fred?" asked George as they closed the door behind themselves.

Tonks only then just realised she should probably have followed the Twins out.

o0o0o0o

As the meeting pressed on Dumbledore considered his options carefully; Fudge would most likely press to have the girl kissed by the dementors, the girl had gone dark, and what to do about the prophecy.

He was doubtful that the girl was capable of dying in any manner but by Tom's hand. Each year the girl had been thrown into an incredibly dangerous situation that would see most adult witches and wizards meet their grave but somehow Holly Potter had come out of each unscathed. He was certain the prophecy was responsible for the girl's survival so he felt that the outcome of the trial didn't really matter in the scheme of things. At the very best it might even force a conclusion to their eventual confrontation quickly.

He still wasn't sure if the prophecy meant the girl would be on an equal footing to Tom or if it meant that with her lack of training she would simply be like cattle to the slaughter though. His plan had been dependant on which option was taken; if the girl was on equal footing he would position himself as the girl's mentor and if she was going to be slaughtered he would step in and stop Tom.

Now though he had to change that slightly. If she killed Tom it would be clear she's vying for the position of 'Dark Lord' or 'Dark Lady' and he would have to step in and stop her – with his century of experience though she won't stand a chance. If she was slaughtered though it would be inconsequential to the grand scheme of things; Tom would be revealed and he would take him down with the prophecy out of play.

The trial would be a problem though; Tom might use his influence to see the girl asked what the prophecy contains under Veritaserum or the composition of the Order – those secrets could not be revealed. He knew what to do though.

"Severus, a word please," he said as the meeting wrapped up.

Snape nodded as everyone shuffled out of the basement.

"Yes, Albus?" he asked as the door snapped shut.

"Kingsley has informed me that Holly Potter's trial will be starting Monday," said Dumbledore. "It is clear she is guilty so I need to now protect the Order's secrets. I do not have many contacts in the Ministry left but I intend to have you in the witness box first and I need you to tell the court that Miss Potter is a highly capable Occlumens. We cannot have the girl under Veritaserum spilling the Order's secrets."

"You should not have told the girl anything to begin with," replied the sour Potions Master. "The brat didn't need to know."

"Yes, well, hindsight is twenty-twenty," replied Dumbledore uneasily.

He wouldn't have told the girl the prophecy if he had been told of what young Ronald had overheard later.

"Is there anything else, Headmaster?" asked Snape after several seconds of silence.

"Ah – yes, what can you tell me of poor young Draco's initiation this afternoon?" questioned Dumbledore.

"He was quite terrified," lied Snape. "Being before the Dark Lord isn't very comfortable."

Actually in fact Draco had quite gleefully taken part in the initiation; he got to torture the Potter brat's disgusting muggle family and earned his Mark by killing them for his devotion all while framing Potter for the crime. Draco had thoroughly enjoyed it even if he was quite nervous being in front of his master.

"It is quite understandable," said Dumbledore as he nodded. "Being forced to join the ranks of the Deatheaters must have been terrifying for such a young boy. I'm still surprised Tom is interested in taking a child into his ranks. Do inform me if you hear what the young boy's mission is in the castle."

Snape resisted the urge to roll his eyes at how naïve the old man was; many of the coming six and seventh year Slytherins were marked and they even had a couple of marked students in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.

"Will that be all, Albus?" he asked again.

Dumbledore nodded and waved his potions master off as he departed out the room.

o0o0o0o

Snape had only just apperated to the gates of Hogwarts and the ward boundary when he felt his Mark burn in summons. Quickly turning on the spot he appeared at the gates of Malfoy Manor. A few minutes later he walked calmly into the Dark Lords throne room beneath the manner and prostrated himself on the floor in front of the pale figure of the Dark Lord.

"Rise, Severus," said Voldemort.

What the Dark Lord really meant was get your face off the floor and face him on your knees.

"What did Dumbledore think of this afternoon's proceedings?"

"My Lord, he believed me when I told him you had no involvement in it. He thinks that the girl is going dark," said Snape with a small gleeful chuckle. "And has arranged for me to tell the court on Monday that the girl is a skilled Occlumens and thus she can resist Veritaserum."

Voldemort pondered those words for a few moments. If the girl told the court that he had indeed returned and that everything was a setup most wouldn't believe her but some would. He would use this to his advantage; if the girl couldn't testify under Veritaserum he could still remain firmly under the radar as the muggles said.

"What of his fabled wards around the girl's home? Did he believe them infallible?" he questioned.

"Yes, My Lord," replied Snape. "He still believes that you and your loyal servants were unable to pass them."

He had been curious if the protections actually worked once he had found out about the dementors attacking the girl last summer so he sent several Deatheaters to investigate. They had reported back that they could approach the house unhindered so rather than attack the girl's family he decided to wait until the girl returned to kill her.

The girl's survival again though at the Ministry was greatly troubling. She had survived him four times now and he now believed it was magically impossible for him to kill the girl because of whatever that elusive prophecy said. He had hoped to hear it for himself but with its destruction he was forced to assume it said he was incapable of killing her. So he devised a plan to see the girl either locked in Azkaban or kissed by a dementor. With the way things were going is was most likely going to be the latter.

"Proceed with what Dumbledore has asked," he commanded. "I do not wish the girl to testify that I have indeed returned. I will see to it that Lucius arranges for you to be interrogated as a witness first."

o0o0o0o

Hermione went down to breakfast after her first night at home. Letting the owl in and paying for the newspaper and started the kettle for some tea and placed some bread in the toaster. Happy that her breakfast was being made she unrolled the newspaper and placed it on the table before gasping.

_Girl-Who-Killed!_

_By Chief Editor Barnabas Cuffe_

_Yesterday afternoon Aurors were called to the scene of a possible triple murder in Little Whinging, Surrey after detecting the usage of large amounts of dark magic in the area. Upon apparating into the area they immediately found Holly Potter – a person highly involved in the incident at the Ministry only several weeks ago and a known attention seeker – casting magic at a large group of muggles in the street. Quickly subduing the girl they entered her home and found her aunt Petunia Dursley – muggle sister to Lily Potter, Petunia's husband Vernon Dursley and their son Dudley Dursley dead by apparent Killing Curse._

_Tests showed that Holly Potter's wand was used to cast the curses and they also showed heavy use of the unforgivable Cruciatus Curse strongly suggesting she committed the crimes._

_"It's pretty well known at [Hogwarts] that Potter hates her muggle relatives," said Draco Malfoy (16), one of Holly Potter's classmates in an interview last night. "Having seen how angry she got in Professor Umbridge's classes this year I certainly wouldn't put it past her to kill them."_

_Minister Fudge last night announced that the girl's trial for murder along with unspecified other charges will begin on Monday…_

When the toast popped out of the toaster and the kettle automatically turned itself off Hermione ignore it as she wept at the kitchen table thinking how utterly insane the Ministry were trying to frame her friend. There was no way that Holly would have done this and if she did for some bizarre reason she wouldn't have killed the Dursleys rather some other people much more deserving like _Malfoy_. It took her several minutes before she could figure out what to do as she abandoned breakfast and made her way upstairs to grab some parchment and a quill.

Wanting to know what Professor Dumbledore was doing to help Holly she wrote the man a letter and decided she would go to Diagon Alley via the Night Bus to hire an owl to deliver it. After getting dress she left a note for her parents who were still asleep and went out the front door only to spot Hedwig on one of the trees in her front yard.

"I guess you know that Holly needs help, don't you?" she asked the owl.

Hedwig hooted in the affirmative before sweeping down and landing on her arm. Giving the letter to the owl and asking her to deliver it to Professor Dumbledore, Hermione turned back inside and started to pace the lounge room as she waited for a response.

She gave up after a few minutes however realising it would be hours at least for a reply so she went upstairs to her room to grab a few books. Grabbing a book on Voldemort she thought would be useful for Holly to read that she had planned to give to the girl for her birthday she went down into the living room the read.

The book was fascinating but after several hours she found herself distracted thinking about her friend locked in a Ministry cell or – _Merlin forbid_ – Azkaban fortress. She was hungry too but at the same time she wasn't sure she could stomach anything waiting for Professor Dumbledore's reply. Sighing she left the book open on the coffee table and decided to go for a walk to try and clear her head.

o0o0o0o

Hermione walked into her home thirty minutes later feeling slightly better. Walking into the living room she found her father peering over the book she had been reading with a slice of toast with jam on it in hand.

"Morning, dad," said Hermione attempting to pretend nothing was wrong.

"Morning, dear," he replied as he flipped to the next page.

"Uh – enjoying that?" she asked nervously as her father took another bite of toast.

She may have forgotten to mention to her parents that one of the most evil wizards of all time was alive and kicking again, and that he was probably after her. In fact she had conveniently forgotten to mention most of her _adventures_ at Hogwarts given that if her parents knew she would have started her second year at Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts if she was lucky.

There wasn't much she could have said to convince her parents that nearly being beaten to death by a troll, nearly murdered by a teacher, nearly killed by a dangerous obstacle course, turned into a half-cat, nearly killed by a forty metre snake, nearly had her soul sucked out several times by soul sucking demons and nearly killed in a battle with a dozen magical terrorists was normal in the magical world. Sure, magical healing was more effective than nonmagical but even with that excuse it didn't pass muster.

Revealing all that now wasn't the smartest of ideas.

"Yes, it's fascinating," said her father as he continued to read. "I've just been thinking the whole time what I would do if I was in this war."

Hermione paled but her father missed it as he read.

"You know how I was in the Territorial Army for a few years?" he asked.

"Uh – yea," she replied nervously.

"I was just wondering how well these Deatheater scum would fare against rifle bullets and high velocity grenade frag," he said as he turned a page again and took another bite. "The book mentioned a shield charm – how effective is it?"

"Umm," she replied intelligently as she thought, completely surprised at the line of conversation. "Well the standard shield charm _Protego_ is primarily designed for stopping magic – it doesn't fare too well against physical objects. There are other shielding charms though – I remember reading about one designed to stop arrows and crossbow bolts during the middle ages but it's not very common as most fights are nearly entirely magical."

"So not very effective against bullets?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so."

"What about grenades? Is there anything like magical grenades?"

There was the Blasting Curse, but even Holly who was the best in their year could only take fist-sized chunks out of a block of stone with the spell – not really comparable at all to the sheer destruction of a hand grenade.

"There's the Blasting Curse but it's nowhere near as powerful as a grenade," she replied honestly. "Why are you asking?"

Her father paused a few moments to think before responding.

"As I said, if I was fighting them I'd probably use guns. They sound like they would be more effective than wands. You can fire them much faster too."

Hermione generally didn't find her father's time in the 'Part-time Army' during his university days to be all that fascinating but given how relevant it was to the war it was now actually interesting.

"If you had to fight them tomorrow, what would you do? Hypothetically?" she pressed.

Her father put the book down and scratched his chin in thought for several seconds.

"If I had to tomorrow…" he repeated. "I would withdraw a few thousand pounds from the bank and drive to some country in Eastern Europe I think. After the Soviet Union fell a large amount of military weapons went '_missing'_ – read sold – and you can now buy them very easily on the black market. With little effort I could pick up an AK or some sort for only a few hundred pounds – less if I buy several, along with ammo and crates of grenades."

Hermione was actually surprised by that. It made sense that such things would become available through given how corrupt many of the new countries that used to make up the Soviet Union were.

"Actually, I would make sure I had quite a few people to watch my back – at least a dozen – and arm every single one of them; rifles, grenades, loads of ammo, a few machine guns, a couple RPGs… You can easily arm a small fighting force for ten-thousand pounds in Eastern Europe."

It was certainly an interesting idea though she wasn't sure how a group of muggles would fare against some very magical threats like apparition and invisibility. When she thought about it, arming a group of witches and wizards like that might actually work really well; they would have the firepower yet at the same time the knowledge and magic to deal with magical threats.

Questioning he father though was broken by the harsh reality of Hedwig tapping at the window. Taking the offered letter she opened it and quickly went into a near silent rage.

"That goat fucking old bastard," she said angrily to her fathers surprised looks; Hermione _never_ swore.

Taking a few seconds to compose herself she decided she needed to speak to some people very quickly and arrange for Hedwig to deliver some others letters. To do this she would have to take the Night Bus to Diagon at the very least and she would need another owl for a long distance letter to Bulgaria.

Her father's suggestion would be at the forefront of her mind for a long time to come.

* * *

**So there you have it. Who guessed it was going to be an AK74, a GP-25, magazines and RGD-5s Hermione had under her robes?**

**I've actually done a lot of research into this. I know what they'll be getting, I discovered how much an AK costs in Eastern Europe in 1996 and I doubt many wizards can truly appreciate the destructiveness of a gun.**

**Please Review, Follow and Favourite.**


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